RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 133 SHOWN OF 133

Fastest shrinking, Virginia counties · 2000

Virginia counties with the steepest population decline since the prior decennial census. This list covers the 133 counties in Virginia that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Most densely populated Most sparsely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR2000 2010 2020

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Buchanan County, VAVA18,492-13.9%+0%

02Petersburg, VAVA33,734-12.1%+0%

03Norfolk, VAVA231,013-10.3%+0%

04Covington, VAVA5,680-9.8%+0%

05Danville, VAVA41,647-8.8%+0%

06Norton, VAVA3,477-8.1%+0%

07Dickenson County, VAVA13,236-7.0%+0%

08Bristol, VAVA16,418-5.7%+0%

09Martinsville, VAVA13,849-4.6%+0%

10Highland County, VAVA2,318-3.8%+0%

11Lee County, VAVA21,642-3.7%+0%

12Hopewell, VAVA23,261-3.2%+0%

13Portsmouth, VAVA96,777-3.2%+0%

14Tazewell County, VAVA38,635-3.0%+0%

15Richmond, VAVA237,257-2.6%+0%

16Staunton, VAVA26,801-2.5%+0%

17Alleghany County, VAVA14,546-1.9%+0%

18Roanoke, VAVA99,111-1.5%+0%

19Lexington, VAVA7,769-1.3%+0%

20Lynchburg, VAVA81,347-1.2%+0%

21Buena Vista, VAVA6,672-0.9%+0%

22Radford, VAVA17,243-0.5%+0%

23Southampton County, VAVA18,110-0.4%+0%

24Northampton County, VAVA11,879+0.2%+0%

25Scott County, VAVA21,200+0.9%+0%

26Fredericksburg, VAVA30,393+1.3%+0%

27Wise County, VAVA34,824+1.4%+0%

28Henry County, VAVA49,242+1.7%+0%

29Giles County, VAVA16,564+1.8%+0%

30Pulaski County, VAVA33,586+1.8%+0%

31Smyth County, VAVA28,882+2.2%+0%

32Galax, VAVA6,670+2.5%+0%

33Williamsburg, VAVA15,861+4.1%+0%

34Salem, VAVA25,816+4.2%+0%

35Clarke County, VAVA15,609+4.6%+0%

36Madison County, VAVA14,237+4.8%+0%

37Nottoway County, VAVA15,796+4.9%+0%

38Poquoson, VAVA13,292+5.1%+0%

39Colonial Heights, VAVA18,738+5.2%+0%

40Bath County, VAVA4,076+5.2%+0%

41Waynesboro, VAVA23,951+5.2%+0%

42King and Queen County, VAVA6,743+5.4%+0%

43Rappahannock County, VAVA7,439+5.5%+0%

44Bland County, VAVA6,151+5.5%+0%

45Russell County, VAVA25,332+5.7%+0%

46Newport News, VAVA183,230+5.9%+0%

47Franklin, VAVA8,478+6.1%+0%

48Lancaster County, VAVA10,995+6.2%+0%

49Charlotte County, VAVA11,401+6.7%+0%

50Emporia, VAVA5,447+6.8%+0%

51Page County, VAVA23,762+6.9%+0%

52Campbell County, VAVA55,629+7.4%+0%

53Winchester, VAVA28,272+7.5%+0%

54Westmoreland County, VAVA19,715+8.0%+0%

55Roanoke County, VAVA97,150+8.1%+0%

56Virginia Beach, VAVA453,737+8.2%+0%

57Falls Church, VAVA15,159+8.3%+0%

58Wythe County, VAVA27,983+8.4%+0%

59Hampton, VAVA137,315+9.5%+0%

60Fairfax, VAVA26,772+9.6%+0%

61Carroll County, VAVA29,299+10.0%+0%

62Grayson County, VAVA15,230+10.1%+0%

63Charles City County, VAVA6,623+10.3%+0%

64Mathews County, VAVA8,529+10.3%+0%

65Mecklenburg County, VAVA30,747+10.7%+0%

66Arlington County, VAVA243,931+10.8%+0%

67Shenandoah County, VAVA45,839+10.9%+0%

68Pittsylvania County, VAVA59,490+10.9%+0%

69Patrick County, VAVA17,424+11.1%+0%

70Surry County, VAVA6,603+11.1%+0%

71Washington County, VAVA53,898+11.4%+0%

72Appomattox County, VAVA17,172+11.4%+0%

73Amherst County, VAVA31,962+11.6%+0%

74Charlottesville, VAVA44,388+11.7%+0%

75Nelson County, VAVA14,920+13.0%+0%

76Fauquier County, VAVA76,503+13.1%+0%

77Montgomery County, VAVA98,434+13.1%+0%

78Rockbridge County, VAVA22,663+13.4%+0%

79Prince Edward County, VAVA22,391+13.9%+0%

80Middlesex County, VAVA10,841+14.8%+0%

81Essex County, VAVA10,654+15.0%+0%

82Caroline County, VAVA34,413+15.1%+0%

83Lunenburg County, VAVA12,058+15.1%+0%

84Brunswick County, VAVA15,727+15.2%+0%

85Cumberland County, VAVA10,352+15.2%+0%

86Alexandria, VAVA160,662+15.4%+0%

87Gloucester County, VAVA40,097+15.4%+0%

88Floyd County, VAVA15,789+15.6%+0%

89Craig County, VAVA4,800+16.4%+0%

90Albemarle County, VAVA118,356+16.5%+0%

91Northumberland County, VAVA12,557+16.5%+0%

92Dinwiddie County, VAVA28,896+17.0%+0%

93Rockingham County, VAVA89,316+17.8%+0%

94Fairfax County, VAVA1,167,873+18.5%+0%

95Isle of Wight County, VAVA41,321+18.7%+0%

96Goochland County, VAVA29,187+19.1%+0%

97Franklin County, VAVA55,526+19.6%+0%

98Augusta County, VAVA78,940+20.0%+0%

99Henrico County, VAVA342,775+20.4%+0%

100King William County, VAVA19,617+20.5%+0%

101Prince George County, VAVA43,936+20.6%+0%

102Warren County, VAVA42,740+20.8%+0%

103Orange County, VAVA40,083+20.8%+0%

104Accomack County, VAVA33,859+20.8%+0%

105Richmond County, VAVA9,294+21.1%+0%

106Buckingham County, VAVA17,137+21.4%+0%

107Sussex County, VAVA10,755+22.0%+0%

108Botetourt County, VAVA34,144+22.0%+0%

109Suffolk, VAVA104,699+22.1%+0%

110Culpeper County, VAVA57,666+23.3%+0%

111Chesterfield County, VAVA397,148+24.2%+0%

112King George County, VAVA29,646+24.2%+0%

113Manassas, VAVA44,332+25.7%+0%

114Louisa County, VAVA42,924+26.1%+0%

115Halifax County, VAVA33,447+28.7%+0%

116New Kent County, VAVA28,022+28.9%+0%

117Frederick County, VAVA99,955+29.5%+0%

118Amelia County, VAVA13,632+29.7%+0%

119Prince William County, VAVA502,966+30.2%+0%

120Greensville County, VAVA11,181+30.6%+0%

121Chesapeake, VAVA255,332+31.1%+0%

122Harrisonburg, VAVA50,839+31.8%+0%

123Bedford County, VAVA83,059+32.2%+0%

124York County, VAVA71,374+32.7%+0%

125Hanover County, VAVA116,423+36.4%+0%

126James City County, VAVA83,326+38.0%+0%

127Powhatan County, VAVA32,591+46.0%+0%

128Greene County, VAVA21,958+48.0%+0%

129Stafford County, VAVA170,803+51.0%+0%

130Manassas Park, VAVA16,560+52.8%+0%

131Spotsylvania County, VAVA155,388+57.5%+0%

132Fluvanna County, VAVA28,975+61.3%+0%

133Loudoun County, VAVA449,749+96.9%+0%

SHOWING 1–133 OF 133

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES